POSITIVE IMPACT

From jogging to pickleball to burpees, the high-impact exercise category is bigger and broader than ever before. Oh, and the benefits abound, per research. What to know about this misunderstood method, ahead.

- Caitlin Carlson

When her five-day-a-week weight-lifting routine at the gym got derailed circa 2020 (been there, felt that...), physical therapist Kristi Barker headed to her living room like the rest of us. Here's the twist: She wanted an exercise alternative that made her feel as good mentally as it did physically. So Barker turned to high-impact moves that gave her a serious endorphin rush in addition to checking the boxes of being doable in a small space, fun, mostly equipment-free, and not super time-consuming. Fast-forward three years (how?!), and experts are still urging you to make force-focused workouts a staple of your routine.

If you're picturing dreaded burpees after reading "high-impact exercise," you wouldn't be incorrect, but you would be narrow-minded (no offense!). "The term 'impact' implies two forces coming into contact with each other, so technically, any exercise that involves such an interaction would be considered high-impact," says Brad Shoenfeld, PhD, a professor in exercise science at Lehman College, City University of New York. That includes activities like jump squats and jumping rope, but also jogging or high-energy dancing. And despite what many everyday athletes have been led to believe, it's an *amazing thing for the body and brain.

Unfortunately, "there's a stigma around high-impact training," says Barker-one that paints it as harmful for your joints and beyond. The solve here is education around its gains as well as insights into how to incorporate it into your routine, Barker says. We're here to help.

HOW THESE WORKOUTS GOT A QUESTIONABLE REP

FYI: There is no bottom-line scientific study that revealed high-impact exercise is bad for joints and a recipe for pain. But exercise that feels uncomfortable or even painful at times when performed incorrectly or by beginners can create an anecdotal narrative over time.